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36
Food Poisoning at Selwyn Avenue Schools.
On Wednesday, the 10th July, the Headmistress at the Selwyn
Junior School reported that 14 children were absent due to attacks
of vomiting. Of the 14 only 5 had taken school dinners and on
this history and especially since a sample of the school dinner
showed no bacteriological abnormality, a provisional diagnosis of
epidemic or "winter" vomiting was made. During the next three
days, 40 further absentees were reported.
On Monday, the 15th July, the Headmistress of the Infants'
Department reported 11 children absent with diarrhoea and
vomiting, together with one member of the staff. On the same day
5 children were reported away with diarrhoea and vomiting from
the Boys' Department, together with 4 of the dining room
attendants and 1 member of the kitchen staff. (The school kitchen
at this group of schools is in a former classroom in the Girls'
Department.)
At this stage it appeared that of the children affected about a
half were in receipt of school meals, and that in addition to epidemic
nausea and vomiting a diagnosis of food poisoning had to be made.
The results of the faecal specimens from children, kitchen and
dining room staffs later showed that many were in fact suffering
from food poisoning due to Salmonella Typhi Murium mainly of
one untypable strain, but with one member of the staff affected
with a different, but untypable strain. Later the former strain was
reported upon as to sensitivity against various drugs, which were
employed to treat the carrier conditions which resulted.
As soon as a diagnosis of food poisoning was made, the parents
of all children (over 1,100) were advised by letter as to the
position, the precautions to be taken and to call in the family
doctor if their children were suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting.
The position was also brought to the attention of all family doctors
in the Borough.
As from the 19th July and purely as a precaution, no further
meals were supplied from the school kitchen, arrangements being
made to supply from another kitchen.
The Head Teachers of the three departments were asked to
report daily by telephone the names and addresses and the class
of all children absent with diarrhoea and vomiting, together with
the name of the family doctor if known.
There was no clue as to the vehicle of the infection, and Dr.
Betty Hobbs of the Central Public Health Laboratory was asked to